JP2006351164A - Sputtering target, magnetic recording medium, method of manufacturing magnetic recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the thermal stability and the SNR of a magnetic recording medium by utilizing an enhanced sputtering target to achieve enhancement in magnetocrystalline anisotropy and increased grain-to-grain segregation. <P>SOLUTION: The sputtering target contains cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a single-component oxide or a multi-component oxide, and an elemental metal additive. The elemental metal additive has a reduction potential of greater than -0.03 electron volts, and is substantially insoluble with cobalt (Co) at a room temperature. The elemental metal additive is copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or gold (Au), and the sputtering target is further comprised of chromium (Cr) and/or boron (B). The sputtering target is comprised of between 2 atomic% and 10 atomic% copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or gold (Au) or other elemental metal additive. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a sputter target, a thin film magnetic recording medium formed using the sputter target, and a method of manufacturing the thin film magnetic recording medium, and more particularly, a sputter target composed of an alloy composition having improved metallurgical properties, The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium formed by sputtering with this sputter target and a method for manufacturing the magnetic recording medium.

  A direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering process can be applied to thin film materials with tightly controlled thickness and narrow atomic ratio tolerances, such as coating semiconductor surfaces or forming films on the surface of magnetic recording media. It is used in various fields for forming a kimono on a substrate. As one common configuration, an elliptical magnetic field is applied to the sputter target by disposing a magnet on the back surface of the target. This traps electrons in the vicinity of the sputtering target, improving the production of argon ions and increasing the sputtering rate. The ions in the plasma collide with the surface of the sputter target, and the sputter target releases atoms from the surface. Due to the voltage difference between the cathode sputter target and the anode substrate to be coated, the emitted atoms form the desired film on the substrate surface.

  In the reactive sputtering process, the vacuum chamber is in a chemically active gas atmosphere, and the material ejected from the sputtering target by sputtering chemically reacts with the reactive species in the mixed gas to form a desired film. Form the compound to be formed.

  In manufacturing a conventional magnetic recording medium, a plurality of thin film layers are sequentially sputtered onto a substrate by a plurality of sputter targets, each of which is made of a different material, and as a result, thin film deposits are stacked. FIG. 6 shows a general thin film laminated structure of a conventional magnetic recording medium. A nonmagnetic substrate 101 made of aluminum or glass is generally provided at the bottom of the laminated structure. The seed layer 102, which is the first adhesion layer, defines the morphology and orientation of the upper granular structure, and is usually made of NiP or NiAl. Next, a non-magnetic underlayer 104, often consisting of one to three individual layers, is deposited. The underlayer 104 is generally an alloy mainly composed of chromium such as CrMo or CrTi. The intermediate layer 105 composed of one or two separate layers is formed on the underlayer 104, and has cobalt as a main component and slightly magnetism. Two or three separate magnetic data recording layers 106 are deposited on the intermediate layer 105, and a carbon lubricating layer 108 is formed on the magnetic data recording layer 106.

  The amount of data that can be recorded per unit area of the magnetic recording medium is directly related to the metallurgical characteristics and composition of the data recording layer, and similarly to the sputter target material on which the data recording layer is sputtered. . In order to increase the data recording capacity in the future, a technique known as perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) in contrast to conventional longitudinal magnetic recording (LMR) is a perpendicular single pole recording head combined with a soft magnetic underlayer. The high writing efficiency by using, has become the most promising and effective technology for the magnetic data recording industry. When PMR is used, the bits are recorded perpendicular to the magnetic recording medium surface, and the coercive force can be increased while reducing the bit size. Therefore, in the future, the PMR is expected to increase the coercive force of the disk and enhance the signal amplification, and it will be possible to retain excellent recorded document data.

  In order to achieve the high recording density of PMR media, it is necessary to increase thermal stability and reduce media noise characteristics. One technique for achieving the essential thermal stability and media noise characteristics required for PMR media is to provide a granular magnetic media with a magnetic region having high magnetocrystalline anisotropy, It is to sufficiently contain the fine microstructure in the base material separated from each other mechanically, magnetically and electrically. In order to achieve this goal, components with a relatively large atomic radius and sufficient solid solubility in cobalt have been added to enhance the coercivity.

In addition to the enhancement of anisotropic energy achieved by conventional LMR, PMR is very fine with sufficient interparticle separation and negligible cross-talk between magnetic domains. Requires the microstructure of the particles. Inclusion of oxygen-rich grain boundary regions with stoichiometric oxides precipitated at the grain boundaries significantly reduces the atomization of the particles, as the solid solubility in the magnetic phase is negligible. Improves and provides excellent microstructural, magnetic and electrical separation. The above-mentioned and other conventional techniques realize a sufficiently separated grain structure in an oxygen-containing magnetic recording medium such as a magnetic recording medium made of CoPtCrO, CoPtCr—SiO ₂ or CoPtTa ₂ O ₅ , and have a large magnetic anisotropy. A significant improvement in energy (Ku) value is achieved.

Sufficient interparticle separation must be established so that each particle is not affected by adjacent particles, as the atomization of the granular magnetic medium approaches the limit of magnetic dipole stability, and the magnetic crystal The anisotropy must be increased. The introduction of oxygen into the grain boundaries has been observed to provide better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) characteristics by further encapsulating magnetic particles, but in the prior art to achieve these desired characteristics for media applications, using a single-component oxide such as _{SiO 2, Y 2 O 3,} Al 2 O 3, TiO 2, Ta 2 O 5, Nb 2 O 5. Recent studies have demonstrated that the effect of oxygen incorporated by reactive sputtering and / or single oxide containing sputter targets is beneficial in granular magnetic media containing CoPt, CoPtCr, CoPtB and / or CoPtCrB. . This technique has shown a significant improvement in achieving a well-separated particle structure. However, these oxides do not achieve the best granular media performance with respect to the SNR and thermal stability of the PMR media. In addition, these techniques described in US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 110,105, “Enhanced Multi-Component Oxide-Containing Sputter Target Alloy Compositions” (filed Apr. 19, 2005) can be used for multicomponents contained in granular media. Adjustment of the oxide properties of the oxide further improves the microstructural, magnetic and electrical separation between the particles.

  Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide a magnetic recording medium having a high density particle structure in the magnetic data recording layer to improve the signal to noise ratio and increase the potential data recording capability. In particular, it is desirable to provide an alloy composition containing a single component or multicomponent oxide that can be used for a sputtering target and can sputter a thin film.

  The present invention relates to a sputter target, a thin film magnetic recording medium formed using the sputter target, and a method of manufacturing the thin film magnetic recording medium, and more particularly, a sputter target composed of an alloy composition having improved metallurgical properties, The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium formed by sputtering with this sputter target and a method for manufacturing the magnetic recording medium.

  According to a first configuration, the present invention is a sputter target comprising cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a single component oxide and a metal additive. The metal additive has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts and is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.

  Thus, through improved magnetocrystalline anisotropy and increased interparticle separation, a single component having a metal additive that is insoluble in the cobalt (Co) containing magnetic phase and resistant to oxidation or If a composition containing a multi-component oxide is used, it is possible to significantly improve thermal stability and SNR. Therefore, the present invention contemplates improving the sputter target alloy composition with a metal additive that improves the magnetism of PMR media produced using magnetron sputtering.

  The sputter target further includes chromium (Cr) and / or boron (B). The sputter target includes a metal additive in a range of 2 atomic% to 10 atomic%, and the metal additive is copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or gold (Au).

  PMR media have more stringent requirements than LMR media in terms of thermal stability and SNR properties, and thus provide high magnetocrystalline anisotropy, fine grain structure and improved microstructural, magnetic and electrical isolation between grains. In order to provide it, it is necessary to introduce a new additive to the conventional recording medium. In systems based on CoPt, the addition of appropriate amounts of metals such as copper (Cu), silver (Ag) and gold (Au) can increase the magnetocrystalline anisotropy and coercivity as well as the microscopic size of the LMR media. Show significant improvement in organizational realization.

  According to a second configuration, the present invention is a sputter target, the sputter target comprising cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a multi-component oxide and a metal additive, the metal additive being −0 It has a reduction potential greater than 0.03 eV and is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.

  The present invention provides an improved alloy composition that can be used to sputter a granular magnetic medium containing a CoPt-based composition that provides better thermal stability and SNR compared to conventional compositions. To do. A medium mainly composed of oxide-containing CoPt remarkably improves particle size atomization and separability. These advantages are further improved when added metals are added to the magnetic alloy composition when combined with increased magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy.

  According to a third configuration, the present invention is a magnetic recording medium including a substrate and a data recording thin film layer formed on the substrate. The sputter target for the data recording thin film layer includes cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a single component oxide, and a metal additive, and the metal additive has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts. In addition, it is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.

  According to a fourth configuration, the present invention is a magnetic recording medium including a substrate and a data recording thin film layer formed on the substrate. The sputter target for the data recording thin film layer includes cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a multi-component oxide, and a metal additive. The metal additive has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts and is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.

  The present invention is utilized to produce new granular magnetic media having an improved sputter target alloy composition that provides better thermal stability and SNR. In particular, the present invention relates to oxygen contained in the grain boundary region of the system mainly composed of CoPt, by incorporating a metal such as copper (Cu), silver (Ag), and gold (Au), thereby producing a granular magnetic material. Improves magnetic crystal anisotropy, grain atomization and separation in the medium. In addition, the present invention increases the magnetic properties of conventional commercial LMR media by improving the grain boundary region containing metal oxides that provide particle atomization and separation.

  According to a fifth configuration, the present invention is a method for manufacturing a magnetic recording medium. The method includes the step of sputtering at least a first data recording thin film layer onto a substrate with a sputter target, the sputter target for the data recording thin film layer comprising cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), and a single component oxide. And metal additives. The metal additive has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts and is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.

  According to a sixth configuration, the present invention is a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium including a step of sputtering at least a first data recording thin film layer on a substrate with a sputtering target. The sputter target for the data recording thin film layer includes cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a multi-component oxide, and a metal additive, and the metal additive has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts. And substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.

  In the following description of preferred embodiments, specific embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the description. It should be understood that other embodiments can be used and various modifications can be made without departing from the present invention.

  The present invention provides a magnetic recording medium having a high-density particle structure in a magnetic data recording layer that improves SNR and increases potential data recording capacity. Furthermore, the present invention provides an improved oxide-containing alloy that can be used as a sputter target to sputter a thin film.

  FIG. 1 illustrates a thin film stack structure comprising a magnetic data recording layer sputtered by a sputter target comprising an improved oxide-containing sputter target alloy composition according to one embodiment of the present invention. Briefly, a magnetic recording medium includes a substrate and a data recording thin film layer formed on the substrate. The sputter target for the data recording thin film layer includes cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a single component oxide or a multicomponent oxide, and a metal additive. The metal additive has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts and is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.

  More specifically, the magnetic recording medium 200 includes a substrate 201 and a data recording thin film layer 206 formed on the substrate 201. The data recording thin film layer 206 includes cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a single component oxide and a metal additive, the metal additive having a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts, and It is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.

  Alternatively, the data recording thin film layer 206 includes cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a multicomponent oxide, and a metal additive, the metal additive having a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts, In addition, it is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.

In any case, FIG. 1 shows a data recording thin film layer 206 made of Co—Pt—Cr—B—MO _Y —X. Where MO _Y represents a single component oxide or a multi-component oxide, X has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts, and is substantially relative to cobalt (Co) at room temperature. The metal additive which is insoluble in is shown.

  As described above, the magnetic recording medium 200 can include other thin film layers including a seed layer 202, a non-magnetic underlayer 204, an intermediate layer 205, and a carbon lubrication layer 208, although some of these layers Alternatively, all may be omitted. Elements that have limited solid solubility in the main magnetic cobalt (Co) phase and promote separation of magnetic particles in the grain boundary region have been demonstrated to significantly improve SNR.

  The granular magnetic media of the present invention includes an improved sputter target alloy composition that provides better thermal stability and SNR. In particular, the magnetic recording medium exhibits the magnetic crystal anisotropy, grain atomization and separation properties of the granular magnetic medium by incorporating metal in association with the oxide contained in the grain boundary region of the system mainly composed of CoPt. Improve. Conventional commercial LMR media can also benefit by improving the oxide-containing grain boundary region with a metal that provides particle atomization and separation.

  With respect to thermal stability and SNR properties, PMR media have stricter requirements than LMR media, provide high magnetocrystalline anisotropy, improve grain structure, and microstructural, magnetic, and electrical separation between grains. In order to increase the properties, it is necessary to introduce new additives for conventional CoPt-containing media. Addition of the above metals to a system based on CoPt significantly increased the magnetocrystalline anisotropy and coercivity (Hc) and realized an improved fine grained microstructure of PMR and LMR media.

  The data recording thin film layer 206 is particularly well suited for PMR applications. The choice of elements used in metal oxides is based on several criteria, and the use of different oxides with compensation and enhancement properties achieves the best granular media properties with respect to SNR and thermal stability of perpendicular magnetic media To do.

  More specifically, in order to achieve a high recording density of PMR, the data recording thin film layer needs to be made of a material having high thermal stability and low medium noise characteristics. A granular magnetic medium having a magnetic region enclosed in a separating base material and containing CoCrPt or an alloy mainly composed of CoPt is not only highly resistant to thermal motion due to a large magnetocrystalline anisotropy, but also particles It also exhibits improved performance with respect to SNR due to size reduction. However, since the magnetic dipole stability is approaching its limit due to the atomization of the particles in the granular magnetic medium, there is sufficient interparticle separation so that each particle is not magnetically affected by adjacent particles in the bulk. It will become increasingly important to develop materials that have.

With respect to PMR, particle atomization and separability requirements are more stringent than with LMR, and grain boundaries containing oxygen in granular media may be reactive sputtering and / or single oxides (SiO ₂ , Al ₂ O It has been observed that oxygen can be incorporated by a target containing (such as ₃ , Ta ₂ O ₅ , or Nb ₂ O ₅ ) to provide better magnetic properties. The present invention further enhances the benefits of oxygen rich grain boundary regions in magnetic media by using sputter targets containing single or multi-component oxides. This objective relates to the oxidation tendency, glass formation tendency and magnetodielectric action of multicomponent oxide matrix incorporated in magnetic media using sputter targets containing multicomponent oxides selected based on specific criteria. This is achieved by adjusting the different oxide properties.

  Among various metals whose solid solubility in cobalt (Co) is limited at room temperature, copper (Cu), silver (Ag), and gold (Au) have a relatively high oxidation resistance. The respective standard reduction potentials are shown in Table 1 below.

  2 shows a binary phase diagram of a system containing Co—Cu as a main component, FIG. 3 shows a binary phase diagram of a system containing Co—Ag as a main component, and FIG. 4 shows Co—Au as a main component. A binary phase diagram of the system is shown. At room temperature of approximately 21 ° C. to 23 ° C. (68 ° F. to 72 ° F. or 295K to 296K), copper (Cu), silver (Ag) and gold (Au) are substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co). is there. As shown in each figure, being substantially insoluble means a state in which the solid solubility of the metal additive is substantially zero.

  The metal additive is preferably copper (Cu), silver (Ag) or gold (Au), although other metal additives are also available. The sputter target further includes chromium (Cr) and / or boron (B). The addition of these elements makes it possible to further enhance the microstructural, magnetic and electrical separation between the particles of the granular medium containing the oxide. As another example, chromium (Cr) and / or boron (B) may be omitted. The sputter target includes a metal additive in a range of 2 atomic% to 10 atomic%, and the metal additive may be copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au), or other additives. Although possible, sputter targets containing some metal additives are also contemplated by the present invention. The atomic% of cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), chromium (Cr), boron (B), single-component oxide or multi-component oxide in the composition can vary and can be any specific atomic% Is not limited.

  According to another configuration, the present invention is a sputter target comprising cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a single component oxide and a metal additive, wherein the metal additive is -0.03 electron volts. It has a higher reduction potential and is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature. Alternatively, the present invention provides a sputtering target including cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a multi-component oxide, and a metal additive, wherein the metal additive has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts. In addition, it is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.

  A significant improvement in thermal stability and SNR, through improved magnetocrystalline anisotropy and increased interparticle separation, is a metal that is insoluble in the Co-containing magnetic phase and resistant to oxidation. This is possible by using a sputter target having an additive and having a composition containing the above-described single component oxide or multicomponent oxide. The present invention provides these improved sputter target alloy compositions with metal additives that provide better magnetism for PMR media produced using magnetron sputtering.

  The present invention can be used to process a magnetic film using a sputter target containing a single component oxide or a multicomponent oxide, particularly in PMR applications. In other words, in this PMR application, the requirements for atomization and separation of the grain structure are more severe in order to minimize the SNR degradation and achieve a large magnetic anisotropy energy (Ku). It can be used in applications. Also, commercially available horizontal magnetic recording media can also benefit from the basic attributes of multi-component oxide matrix with respect to particle atomization and separability to improve magnetic properties. Furthermore, when a metal insoluble in the main magnetic cobalt (Co) phase is added to a system containing CoPt as a main component, the magnetic crystal anisotropy, coercivity (Hc) and grain size of the LMR medium are atomized. It exhibits the ability to improve significantly.

  The present invention provides an improved alloy composition that can be used to sputter a granular magnetic medium containing a CoPt-based composition that provides better thermal stability and SNR compared to conventional compositions. I will provide a. A medium mainly composed of oxide-containing CoPt remarkably improves particle size atomization and separability. These advantages are further enhanced when combined with an increase in magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy when additive metals are added to the magnetic alloy composition.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium according to another embodiment of the present invention. Briefly speaking, the method of the present embodiment includes a step of sputtering at least a first data recording thin film layer on a substrate with a sputter target, and the sputter target for the data recording thin film layer includes cobalt (Co), platinum ( Pt), single component oxides and metal additives. The metal additive has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts and is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature. Another method includes sputtering at least a first data recording thin film layer on a substrate with a sputter target, the sputter target for the data recording thin film layer comprising cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a multicomponent oxide. And metal additives. The metal additive has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts and is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.

  The present invention is utilized in the manufacture of new granular magnetic media having an improved sputter target alloy composition that provides better thermal stability and SNR. In particular, the present invention relates to a grain boundary region containing an oxide in a CoPt-based system, and by incorporating metals such as copper (Cu), silver (Ag) and gold (Au), Improves magnetic crystal anisotropy, grain atomization and separation of magnetic media.

  More specifically, the process begins at step 300, at least a first data recording thin film layer is sputtered onto the substrate with a sputter target at step 301, and the process ends at step 302. Sputter targets for data recording thin film layers include cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), multi-component oxides or single-component oxides and metal additives, the metal additives being greater than -0.03 electron volts. It has a reduction potential and is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.

  Significant improvement in thermal stability and SNR due to enhanced magnetocrystalline anisotropy and increased separation between particles is a metal additive that is insoluble in the magnetic layer containing cobalt (Co) and resistant to oxidation In addition, it is possible to use a composition containing a single component oxide or a multicomponent oxide. The present invention provides an improved sputter target alloy composition by using a metal additive that provides better magnetism for PMR media produced using magnetron sputtering.

  To achieve higher magnetocrystalline anisotropy and coercivity (Hc), the metal additive is in elemental form, and the metal additive combines with oxygen to achieve a low propensity to oxidation during sputtering and in the sputter target form. Not. Furthermore, the metal additive does not form a substoichiometric oxide, and has an oxidizing tendency such that the oxide in the grain boundary region does not become a substoichiometric amount. As with the target, non-stoichiometric oxygen in the magnetic medium results in electrical conduction between the magnetic particles and the conduction of electrons or holes compensates for the cation / anion gap, which is also a function of oxygen partial pressure during media processing. During magnetron sputtering, it interacts with the applied magnetic field and adversely affects the magnetic properties of the medium as well as the sputtering properties of the target.

Accordingly, the present invention relates to CoPt (Cr) (B) -MO _Y -X (where MO _Y is a single-component oxide or multi-component oxide, and X is copper ( It claims an improved alloy composition that results in a granular magnetic medium containing Cu), silver (Ag) or gold (Au) and provides better thermal stability and SNR characteristics compared to conventional compositions.

Use of alloy compositions containing single or multicomponent oxides improves the microstructural and electrical separation between particles by adjusting the oxide properties of different constituent oxides of the magnetic medium To do. Certain metal oxides used for this purpose are known in the art, such as SiO ₂ / Al ₂ O ₃ and others, to form single or multi-component separate oxide matrixes that contain magnetic particles. It is possible to use together with the oxides.

  Oxides that rarely form solid solutions with metals have a unique tendency to precipitate in grain boundary regions of granular media containing CoCrPt or CoPt as the main component. As a result, the microscopic separation of magnetic particles is increased. These oxides do not hinder the epitaxial growth of CoCrPt containing oxygen or a thin film medium mainly containing CoPt. Therefore, a decrease in magnetic anisotropy energy (Ku) is suppressed.

  Oxygen is introduced into the thin film magnetic medium by reactive sputtering to increase the oxygen content of the grain boundaries. Due to the above-described confirmed effect with oxygen-containing media, better magnetic behavior occurs in PMR media by using single component oxides with CoCrPt or CoPt. However, oxygen-containing granular magnetic media produced using oxide-containing targets have demonstrated better magnetic properties than oxygen-containing media incorporated by reactive sputtering.

  In the above embodiments, specific specific embodiments have been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will be understood that it will be done by a vendor.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a laminated structure comprising a magnetic data recording layer sputtered by a sputter target comprising an improved oxide-containing sputter target alloy composition according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a binary phase diagram of a system having cobalt-copper (Co-Cu) as a main component. It is a binary phase diagram of a system having cobalt-silver (Co-Ag) as a main component. It is a binary phase diagram of a system having cobalt-gold (Co-Au) as a main component. It is a flowchart which shows the manufacturing method of the magnetic-recording medium by 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the typical laminated structure of the conventional magnetic recording medium.

Explanation of symbols

200 Magnetic recording medium 201 Substrate 202 Seed layer 204 Nonmagnetic underlayer 205 Intermediate layer 206 Data recording thin film layer 208 Carbon lubricating layer

Claims (22)

  Cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a single component oxide and a metal additive, the metal additive having a reduction potential greater than -0.03 electron volts and cobalt (Co) at room temperature Sputter target characterized by being substantially insoluble with respect to.   The sputter target according to claim 1, wherein the metal additive is copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or gold (Au).   The sputter target according to claim 1, further comprising chromium (Cr).   The sputter target according to claim 1, further comprising boron (B).   The sputter target according to claim 1, comprising a metal additive in a range of 2 atomic% to 10 atomic%. A substrate,
A data recording thin film layer formed on the substrate;
With
The sputter target for the data recording thin film layer includes cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a single component oxide and a metal additive, and the metal additive has a reduction potential greater than -0.03 electron volts. And a magnetic recording medium that is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.   The magnetic recording medium according to claim 6, wherein the metal additive is copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or gold (Au).   The magnetic recording medium according to claim 6, wherein the data recording thin film layer further contains chromium (Cr).   The magnetic recording medium according to claim 6, wherein the data recording thin film layer further contains boron (B).   The magnetic recording medium according to claim 6, wherein the sputter target contains a metal additive in a range of 2 atomic% to 10 atomic%.   Sputtering at least a first data recording thin film layer onto a substrate with a sputtering target, wherein the sputtering target for the data recording thin film layer comprises cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a single component oxide, and a metal additive And the metal additive has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts and is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature. Method.   Cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a multicomponent oxide and a metal additive, wherein the metal additive has a reduction potential of −0.03 eV or more and is substantially cobalt ( A sputter target that is insoluble in Co).   The sputter target according to claim 12, wherein the metal additive is copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or gold (Au).   The sputter target according to claim 12, further comprising chromium (Cr).   The sputter target according to claim 12, further comprising boron (B).   The sputter target according to claim 12, comprising a metal additive in the range of 2 atomic% to 10 atomic%. A substrate,
A data recording thin film layer formed on the substrate;
With
The sputter target for the data recording thin film layer includes cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a multi-component oxide and a metal additive, and the metal additive has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts. A magnetic recording medium characterized by being substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature.   The magnetic recording medium according to claim 17, wherein the metal additive is copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or gold (Au).   The magnetic recording medium according to claim 17, wherein the data recording thin film layer further contains chromium (Cr).   The magnetic recording medium according to claim 17, wherein the data recording thin film layer further contains boron (B).   The magnetic recording medium according to claim 17, wherein the sputter target includes a metal additive in a range of 2 atomic% to 10 atomic%.   Sputtering at least a first data recording thin film layer onto a substrate with a sputtering target, wherein the sputtering target for the data recording thin film layer comprises cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a multi-component oxide, and a metal additive. And the metal additive has a reduction potential greater than −0.03 electron volts and is substantially insoluble in cobalt (Co) at room temperature. .

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